Verbena plant named ‘Duempwi09’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Duempwi09’, characterized by its semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large white-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage in mounded umbels.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEMPWI09’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Duempwi09’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new semi-upright and compact Verbenaplants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2006 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Verbena hybrida identified as code number V01-1120-001, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbenahybrida identified as code number F-12-0223, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inRheinberg, Germany in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2008has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duempwi09’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duempwi09’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofVerbena:

-   -   1. Semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large white-colored flowers that are held above and beyond        the foliage in mounded umbels.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Verbena are morecompact than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the newVerbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection ingrowth habit as plants of the new Verbena are larger than plants of themale parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbenahybrida ‘Lan Bluwhit’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,605. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of ‘Lan Bluwhit’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were taller than plants of ‘Lan        Bluwhit’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had narrower leaves than plants of        ‘Lan Bluwhit’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena plant. The photograph comprises a close-up view oftypical leaves and inflorescences of ‘Duempwi09’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers in Rheinberg,Germany in a glass-covered greenhouse during the summer and underconditions which closely approximate commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time threeweeks after planting. Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph andthe description were taken. In the description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Duempwi09’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number V01-1120-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number F-12-0223, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit;            freely branching habit with about four to six primary            lateral branches with secondary lateral branches potentially            forming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; dense and bushy plant habit; moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Lobed.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A;            venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137B to 137C; venation, close to 144D.        -   Petiole length.—About 2.8 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2.4 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in            hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding;            numerous umbels covering the entire plant; flowers face            upward or outward; freely flowering habit with about 20            flowers and flower buds per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            the spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin            flowering about eight weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 7            cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted. Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Depth: About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Oval, tubular. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal lobe length: About 1 cm. Petal lobe width: About            9.4 mm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex:            Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155B. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155B; color            becoming closer to 155A with development.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused            sepals. Sepal length: About 1.3 cm. Sepal width: About            1.5 mm. Sepal shape: Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent, coarse. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:            Between 146A and 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About            four to five per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.75 mm. Anther color:            Close to 144B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close            to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close            to 144A. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to            144D. Ovary color: Close to 144C. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and            seed development has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbenas.

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Duempwi09’ as illustrated anddescribed.